Its a shame you miss the overall point, there is no direct translation for many words and also it just a respect thing as many grand masters or such equal term are not recognised by many.

lets see

WTF

kwan jang nim : grandmaster or another translation the founder or owner of school or association.

館長/관장/Gwanjang in no translation means "Grandmaster". It means head of a public building.

Go to South Korea and rent an apartment. You'll first need to speak with the gwanjang...the landlord.

Enroll your child at a private school. You'll need to speak to the gwanjang, the head of the school. Not the chief academic, not the guy who has the highest understanding of physics or biology, but the guy who handles how the school runs, the guy who's secretary will give you the proper forms.

The term carries no connotations of mastery of anything in Korean. It is an administrative term. It's the guy who runs the organization from a business perspective, not the guy who's the best fighter, or who has mastered the martial art.

So, no, it does not in any way mean "grandmaster".

Originally Posted by ATKDA

Sayhun - Grand Master
Boo Sabum
Sa bum nim
Sa bum

師範/사범/Sabeom has a very specific meaning connoting mastery, but "grand" is not part of it. It means master instructor. Nothing grand about it.

To go back to our private school example, the Gwanjang is the principle. The Sabeom is the head of the physics department. Neither is a grandmaster.

The closest equivalent to the term grandmaster isn't even a martial arts term in Korean.

It's Buddhist.

And no Korean martial arts instructor would dare claim that title for himself.

Welcome to Bullshido, where asshole, doesn't mean uneducated. So, we do have equivalent names someone is misusing Korean terms.
Since we could be talking sports, an equivalent term would be Athletic Director. In America they run programs, but it doesn't denote any promise of sport prowess or mastery.

..............................Grand Master is out of respect and is a Official title universally used in recognition within ITF Taekwondo.
Even one of the establishes of the art General Choi Hong Hi was voted to be renamed as Founder so his highest ranking world travelling instructors could for their services and dedication to peaceful spreading of the art be called Grand Masters of 9th degree and even 10th if so voted after diligent service.
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